Apple Watch: not available in the shops

Are you thinking of popping down the Apple Store to buy yourself one of their new fancy smartwatches?

Think again.

You see, the Apple Watch won't be available to buy in-store from next Friday and throughout the whole of May. This is according to a memo to staff from Apple's retail chief Angela Ahrendts.

The memo says that customers will be prompted to order their watches online: "Are we going to launch every product this way from now on? No. We all love those blockbuster Apple product launch days - and there will be many more to come," she added.

"It's important to remember that Apple Watch is not just a new product but an entirely new category for us. There's never been anything quite like it. To deliver the kind of service our customers have come to expect - and that we expect from ourselves - we designed a completely new approach. That's why, for the first time, we are previewing a new product in our stores before it has started shipping."

So, if you see one in a shop, it is only there for display and preview purposes. You're going to have to wait until summer before you can get one in your hands in a store.

"The Apple Store app and our online store make it much easier to purchase Apple Watch and the new MacBook. Customers will know exactly when and where their product arrives," Ahrendts wrote. "This is a significant change in mindset, and we need your help to make it happen. Tell your customers we have more availability online, and show them how easy it is to order. You’ll make their day."

So there you have it. We hope some Apple fans queue-up outside a store, out of sheer habit.